Old Fashioned, But Nearly Perfect

Posted on January 3, 2013 by

I enjoy straight bourbon; I have recently swung towards rye and I have began to experiment in the wild world of bitters.  I think I have found my ideal cocktail in the Old Fashioned.

Kruski's Cherry Vanilla Rye Old Fashioned

Most of the time I am a really good consumer. I enjoy reading and looking at new cool things.  I am easily intrigued by some basic text and pretty pictures when it comes to new products.  During a recent visit on one of my favorite websites gearpatrol, I saw a promotional post on Woodford Reserve Bourbon Barrel Aged Spiced Cherry Bitters.  At this point in time I didn’t know dick diddly about bitters but I decided that I wanted badly to taste this. So I placed my order immediately.  I did know that bitters were a key ingredient used in old fashioned drinks and not knowing where to begin I differed to google.  Within five minutes I had read Martin Doudoroff’s website Old Fashioned 101, and I was ready to mix some drinks.  To make an Old Fashioned drink, simply muddle some sugar with bitters add some bourbon or rye and enjoy!

**click over here for my specific recipe and some pretty photos by Stacey**

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The Kentucky Mule: ultra-refreshing bourbon mixed drink

Posted on August 24, 2012 by

Here at Kruski’s we love our bourbon.  Typically I drink my favorite and finest bourbons neat in very small taster glasses, or a few ounces at a time over my whiskey stones.  Some times I want that bourbon enjoyment but mixed with something else to make it more sip-able for multiple drinks.  This summer fellow Kruski’s author, and good friend Stevie D, has brought to my attention a new way to drink / serve bourbon.  This ultra-refreshing mixed drink is called The Kentucky Mule and is a combination of bourbon, ginger beer, and lime juice serve in a metal cup with ice.  The key to this drink or any other format of a mule is the metal cup better know as the Moscow mule mug.  The mule mug  has a handle to keep your girly fingers warm and prevent the unintended warming of your beverage.  But I have never had a Bourbon Mule last long enough to require the handle.  I do not own any Moscow Mule Mugs so I happily substitute in my Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Pint Glasses.  The KK pints cost $38 for a four pack while the Moscow Mule Mugs cost about $30 each.  Get the steel pints I love them and use them all the time when I am out in the yard, on a camping trip, or even toss them in my beer cooler when I go hang at a friends house.  This drink takes its inspiration from a drink called the Moscow Mule, which is made the same way but substitutes vodka for bourbon.

Bourbon + Ginger Beer + Lime + Ice = Yum keep reading more images and the complete recipe

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Smoking Amazing Ribs with a Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM)

Posted on June 17, 2012 by

I L-O-V-E love ribs, if your reading this post I bet you love ribs too!

In the most modest and humble way I can type this next statement: I can make ribs so good that I no longer order ribs at BBQ restaurants. Simply put, I like my ribs better.  I have shared my methods and tricks with my friends and have created a bit of a smoking circle.  Give a man some good ribs and he will enjoy his meal, but teach him to smoke his own damn ribs and he will feed you amazing ribs countless times for the years to come.

Here is my best attempt to describe my method of smoking baby back ribs including lots of pictures because seeing is believing. Continue reading →

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Guest Post at Homestead Geek

Posted on May 9, 2012 by

I wanted to share a link to a guest post I recently wrote for Homestead Geek on how I became a homebrewer. I think that a few of my friends will really like some of the content Erin has on her site.  Such as making ice cream, raising chickens, massive gardening adventures, and locally sourced dairy and meat

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Five Excuses Why You Should Not Become a Homebrewer

Posted on May 4, 2012 by

1. the equipment is real expensive and I think it will take up too much space

2. brewing takes too long, i want some beer right now!

3. there is so much good commercial craft beer on the shelves why bother making my own

4. brewing my own beer will save me tons of money

5. brewing is too complicated for my small brain

Now that I got all the negativity out of the way, ignore this list, get out there and brew your own damn beer!

Take pride in crafting something amazing with your own two hands (that people actually want). When I pour a pint of Kruski’s for a friend and get to hear them say something along the lines of “Damn Gina! this beer is delicious” or “Hott Lava, this shit is great” or “this beer tastes better than other craft beers” Its the ultimate pat on back.

 

And now five reasons why you SHOULD become a homebrewer Continue reading →

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Gluten Free Beer? I’m Glad You Asked…

Posted on May 3, 2012 by

That's KelleyHey there – I guess you could call me the new kid here on the Kruski’s blog…a gluten free beer and cider guru? Perhaps you could call me that but, I usually go by Kelley. Please don’t sing me that Cheers song though! I’ve actually heard it before :) My favorite place in the world is around a table, with friends indulging in scrumptious food and drink…but, make sure it’s gluten free for me, please!

I entered the gluten free world around four years ago and I immediately began missing hops. I won’t even go into how not psyched I was about the hard cider options I saw around. I had been on a beer adventure of trying new styles and learning to brew – this nearly stopped me in my tracks. You could say a true adventure starts where the map ends (at least that’s what my mom told me when we were lost) and I have been dedicated to finding and trying the best gluten free alcoholic options available from around the world. In the process, I’ve learned what the heck sorghum is and, more importantly, what it tastes like and why it makes for a sorta strange beer. Cider and I are now good friends; I understand the different styles and appreciate the more unique varieties. Thanks to Kruski’s my husband and I even learned how to make our own apfelwein!

When I’m not eating and drinking I can be found cooking and baking up a storm, hiking with my husband and Australian shepherd or ogling produce at the farmers market. I look forward to sharing my experiences with gluten free beer (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and fabulous cider (there is more to them than you might expect). Sláinte!

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Bourbon review – Russell’s Reserve 10 Year

Posted on May 1, 2012 by

I’ve been on the hunt for a reasonably priced, daily sipping bourbon and I think this one pretty much nailed it.  Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Small Batch is produced by the Wild Turkey distillery.  As the name implies it has been matured for 10 years in oak and weighs in at 90 proof.  I’ve found it in stores for between $30-$35.

For the full review click here

Posted in Bourbon, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Custom Logo Bottle Caps

Posted on April 17, 2012 by

I have recently updated the look and feel of the Kruski’s website to include some new logo work. The logo was inspired both by my dog Barley and The Great Beer State of Michigan. Once the logo was finished and the website had been updated, I wanted to show it off.  I wanted to get the artwork printed out on something cool, and wanted it ASAP.  T-shirts? Coasters? How about some custom Kruski’s bottle caps?

I found a company named BottleMark that will print your custom uploaded image onto bottle caps. There is no setup fee, no minimum order quantity, and my custom caps arrived in less than one week. BottleMark charges a flat rate of $0.12 per cap. Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | 5 Comments

Old No. 7 Brand Gifts

Posted on April 8, 2012 by

I just received a few Jack Daniels Old No.7 gifts for the Kruski’s Basement Bar (imported from Lynchburg) from my Uncle John and Aunt Pam.   As I opened the package I found a Jack Dainel’s wooden napkin holder, with No.7 napkins, and a wall mounted bottle opener.  First lets look at that bottle opener, it is a Starr X stationary bottle opener that has been branded Old No.7.  The Starr company has been making these wall mounted bottle openers for over eighty years.  If you see a wall mounted bottle opener at a bar or at you buddies house odds are it is a Starr.  I also think the rustic wood barrel aged look of the napkin holder is going to look great next to all the walnut used in the bar.

I asked Stacey to take some photos of the No.7 gifts down in the bar. a bunch more photos here!

Posted in Basement Bar Build | 2 Comments

Walnut Faced Carcass

Posted on April 1, 2012 by

This weekend we were able to get most of the walnut onto the patron side of the bar.  You can see the progression from maple to walnut with the images below.  Because of our solid planning, some hard work, and accurate cuts this walnut installation portion of the project moved quickly.  The hickory and apple wood smoked pork shoulder and Oberon helped too!

to see the pictures of each step click here

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